It's progressed very far. I never really played the game seriously back then, just liked collecting/trading/selling the cards. But back then it was a lot simpler and slower. It was hard to bring out high atk monsters and when you did they were usually non-effect monsters. People who are just now starting back think that since the duels are shorter, there's no more strategy. That's definitely false. There is a lot of auto-pilot decks and what not, but honestly, Yugioh has never been known as a game that requires a lot of skill. Sure, you have to have a lot of knowledge and experience. But luck is a very big factor in the game, so you can outplay your opponent and make all the right decisions and plays, and still end up losing because your opponent drew the exact and only card he needed to win.
The main advice I have is don't take the game too seriously. It's very fun to play casually and competitively, but it's not a serious competitive game to me because luck is a bigger factor than skill.
